An NYU student was attacked in Manhattan earlier this week, and police say the man now in custody is a repeat offender with a lengthy criminal history.
Twenty-year-old Amelia Lewis shared an emotional video on social media describing the assault, urging authorities to take action so others aren’t targeted.
Surveillance footage from Monday morning shows Lewis walking near Broadway and Waverly in Greenwich Village when a man runs up behind her, appears to slap her backside, and then shoves her to the ground. Bystanders can be seen rushing to help.
Police have arrested 45-year-old James Rizzo, charging him with persistent sexual abuse, forcible touching, and assault. According to state corrections records, Rizzo — who police sources say is homeless and has 16 prior arrests — was out on parole after serving time for sex abuse.
Investigators say Rizzo is also facing charges tied to four residential burglaries early Tuesday morning, as well as two separate attacks on women: the alleged elbowing of a 69-year-old on Fifth Avenue on Thanksgiving and the punching of a 59-year-old woman on Mercer Street in December 2023.
Rizzo is expected to be arraigned in Manhattan tonight.
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